Method and means of producing signals in the sky at night



4 Sept. 8, 1925. 1,552,627

, L. L. LOVELACE ET AL METHOD AND MEANS OF PRODUCING SIGNALS IN THE SKY AT NIGHT Filed Sept. 2, 1924 INVENTORS AND Law L-Lmzelaue L awrenue Ilfmnefirake W ATTORiY,

Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

.PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES LAW L. LOv LA E m LAWRENCE :o. BONEBRAKE, or Kansas cIrY, mrsso'oar.

METHOD AND MEANS OF PRODUCING SIGNALS IN THE SKY AT NIGHT.

Application filed September 2, 1924. Serial No. 785,280.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LAW L. LOVELAOE and LAWRENCE D. BoNaBnAKE, citizens of the United States, and residing, respectively, at Kansas, in 'the county of Jackson and statfof Missouri, and Kansas City,

county of Jackson, and ,State of..,Missour1, have invented certain new-and useful Improvements in Methods and Means of Froducing Signals in the Sky at Night, of which the following is a complete specification,

This invention relates to the method and means of producing signals in the skyat night and has for its primary object the producingof signals in the form of words or pictures which are intelligible to the observer.

It is well known that the art of sky vv1"'iting has not developed beyond the production of signals or words which are produced by an aeroplane in flight during the dayli ht hours, v

t is a primary object of this invention to provide a means and'method whereb intelligible signals, words or signs,-may e roduced in the sky at night or after ark through the use of pyrotechnics, flares'or the like.

It is afurther object of this invention to provide suitable means for releasing either manually or automatically the writing element from a container carried by the aeroplane.

An even further object of this invention is to provide a burning element with a suitable means for suspending it in the air and allowing it to gradually approach the earth surface after being released from the aeroplane. More specifically, it is an object of this invention to produce a method of writing at night and a means for carrying out saidinvention which comprises the inter mittent releasing of burning lances suspend-Y ed inthe air by parachutes, gas balloons or I the like which will remain in the air until the'entire message is written. 1

The use of various colored lances'may be used to produce novel display effects and if desired, a displa of fire works may be automatically set 0 immediately preceding I the releasing of said burning lances. In the drawings:

movable bottom around the magazine taken on line III-III of Figure 2. a Figure 4 is a similar cross section taken on line IV-IV of Figure 2.-

Figure 5 is a Iq'agmentary detailed view of the pin connecting member which connects the winding drums together.

Figure 6 is an enlar ed detailed view of the releasable clamp w ich grips the slidably mounted bottoms of the magazine.

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on line V II --VII through one of the compartments of the magazine showing, the lance and its parachute packed and ready for dropping.

Figure 8 is a detailed perspective view of one end of one of the bottoms of the, magazine showing the electrical "contact plate carried there-by.

Figure 9'is adiagrammatical view showing the method of placing or releasing the burning lances to form words or signs.

Figure 10 is an'enlarged vertical central section of the lower end of one of the lances showing the location of the spark whereby the lance is ignited immediately before're: leasing; and,

Figure 11 is the method of mounting same on the shaft.

Referring to the drawings in detail" a section view taken through? .the center of the winding drums showing and Where-in but one method of releasing the burning lanqes has been shown. Twelve is a fuselage of an aeroplane which has the.

usual related parts such asa propeller -13, wing 14 and landing gear 15. ,Rigidly mounted beneath the fuselage 12 is the metallic magazine 16 which is divided into a plurality ofcompartments 17 extendin transversely of the aeroglane. Each row 0 compartments is provi ed with a slidably mounted bottom 18 adapted to be withdrawn from beneath one compartment at a time by the later described mechanism. The releasing end of each of these slidably mounted bottoms is provided with a metallic plate 19 which is insulated from the rest of the bottom 18'by fiber or other insulating material 20. This plate 19 is electricallyconnected to a storage battery or other source of electricity not here shown, the metallic box being also connected to said source 'of electricity in such a manner as to cause a spark to ignite the lance immediately preceding its release. This is done through the special construction of a lance as shown in the drawings which may be formed of the usual well known burning element 21, having a conductive material 22 wrapped thereabout and extending to within a short distance of the bottom, a pin 23 projecting inwardly from said conductive material 22 and a metallic button 24 having an inwardly extending shank 25 which terminates within a quick lighting substance 26 and within a short distance of the end of pin 23. As soon as plate 19 appears beneathone of the compartments 17, an electrical connection is made through magazine 16, conductive material 22, pin 23, shank 25 and the metallic button 24 to plate 19 carried by bottom 18. This electrical connection causes a spark to appear in pocket 26 of the quick burning material and ignites substance 21 of the.

lance. A few seconds only intervenes between this igniting and the release of the lance, and as soon as lance 27 drops down out of compartment 17, the parachute 28 opens and suspends the burninglance in the air after which the operation and action is repeated at the compartment adjoining and in line with the one just emptied.

The releasing of these burning lances may be done manually or as is shown in the accompanying drawing through a mechanical means actuated by a motor 29 which may be turned on by the pilot of the aeroplane after attaining the desired height. It might be mentioned at this point that signs of this character using burning elements may be released at a much greater height than the well known smoke sign which has heretofore been released during the day-light hours. In releasing the several lances used in forming any word or sign, the plane is preferably caused to take an inclined course which permits of the releasing of the several lances 27 and parachutes 28 in a horizontal line. In this manner the message is written in the sky at a height of some 10,000 feet and al"- lowed to gradually descend without diffusing, breaking up or otherwise interrupting the thought stressed by the word or sign written. When the pilot attains the desired height as before mentioned, motor 29 is switched on and clutch 30 thrown in to ro-' st e vorm gear 31 which is in mesh with gear 32 rigidly mounted upon shaft 33. Member 34 also rigidly mounted on shaft 33 periodically engages cross pins 35 and intermittently revolves plate36 mounted upon shaft 37. The first drum 38 is rigidly mounted upon shaft 37 and is caused to rotate drums 39, 40 and 41 through the medium of pins 42 adapted to engage detent 43 in each of the drums after the predecessor has made one complete revolution which empties one series of compartments 17. These pins are reset in depression 44 which has an inclined side for permitting the escape of thepin when the drum supporting said pin starts to rotate. .Detent 43 being directly in the path of the pin, allows the same to snap therein and thus carry !the next drum around for one revolution before its pin enters the depression of the next succeeding drum. In this manner an number of winding drums may be added and the magazine 16 be enlarged to accom- 'modate any number of lances for various size words or sentences which are to be written in the sky.

The ordinary governor 45 may be attached to the medium of gears 46, and 47 to the main drive shaft of the motor 29 and may have an adjustable braking means 48] K adapted to engage disk 49when the speed is increased beyond that desired. In drawing bottom 18 from its closed position a necessary connection must be made to Winding drums 38, 39, 40 and 41 which is clearly shown in Figure 3. Rollers 50 and 51' are attached to the magazine and cable 52 drawn over them and connected at its one end to the winding drum. The other end of the cable is provided with an automatic releasing means which grips loop 53 integral with bottom 18. This means comprises a pair of toggle links 54 having a spring 55 there-between which maintains the gripping means in a closed position as shown in Figure 6. I A

A pair of pins 56 located on each side of cable 52 engage links 54 immediately after bottom 18 has been drawn under a transverse clamp 57 and cause the gripping-means to release its hold on bottom 18 and continue and steer the machine in the course desired.

The burning lances will be dropped in accordance with the ratio set by members 34.

and 36. The time between the releasing of. each burning lance may be varied by changing these members as desired. In theinstance shown, a burning lance is dropped each time member 34 makes onerevolution and advances disks 36 through the medium of 35.

Normally, the sign, word or signal is spread in the sky with the burning elements forming the same in a horizontal plane. The use of timed bombs having a parachute within, and adapted to be opened when the same is exploded, may be used to dispose the message in a vertical plane if desired, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The same or analogous releasing means may be used'on the plane.

Many'chang'es and modifications may be 1 made in the method or means for igniting signals in the sky at night, the combination with an aeroplane in flight. of means for storing the ignitible members, electrical means including a spark gap for igniting said ignitible members and means for auto-- matically' releasing said members at time mtervals.

2. In a device for-producing visible sign signals in the sky at night, the combination with an aeroplane in flight, of means, including a sliding door, having an electrical contact plate for releasing flaming members, and electrical means for igniting said flaming members immediately prior to their release.

3. In a device for producing visible sign signals in the sky at night, the combination with an aeroplane in flight of means for releasing flaming members, electrical means for igniting said members immediately prior to their release, means for suspending said burning members in the air, and means in,-

'cluding Windin drums for imparting movement to said re easing means whereby said members arereleased at desired time intervals.

4'. In a device for producing visible sign signals in the sky at night, the combination with an aeroplane in flight of a movable member for releasing flaming members havingsuspension means, means for igniting said members-prior to their release, means including motor actuated winding drums for automatically moving said movable members at equal time intervals.

5. In a device for producing visible sign signals in the sky at night, the combination with an aeroplane in flight, of a means for releasing flaming members provided with 1 plane, having a .for storing ignitible lances with means for means for suspending the same in the air in predetermined relation to each other, means for igniting said members prior to their release carried by said releasing member and means for said releasing member whereby the same is actuated at equal time'intervals.

6. In a device for producing visible sign signals in the sky at night, the combination .with an aeroplane in flight, of means for ignitible lances, means for igniting said lances, means for releasing the flaming lances including a slidably mounted bottom carried by said storing means, means for causing said flaming lance to gradually de-' scend to the ground and means for intermittently actuating the slidable bottom to release the flaming lances at predetermined intervals.

8; In a device for producing visible sign signals in the sky at night, the combination with an aeroplane in flight, of means carried beneath the fuselage of the aeroplane having a plurality of compartments for storing ignitible lances and their attached parachutes, electrical means for i niting said lances, means for releasing the aming lances including a slidably mounted'bottom carried by said storing means and means for intermittently actuating the slidable bottom whereby the flaming lances and the attached parachutes are released at regular time intervals. p

9. In a device for producing visible sign signals in the skyat night, the combination .with anaeroplane in flight, of a magazine carried beneath the fuselage ofthe aerolurality of compartments suspending the same in the air after their release, electrical means for igniting said lances as they are released, meansfor' releasing the flaming lances including a plu-. rality of bottoms slidably mounted on said magazine, means for intermittently actuating the slidable bottom in proper sequence and automatically releasable'means connecting said bottom with said actuating means.

10. In a device for producing visible sign si nals in the sky at night, the combination with an aeroplane in flight, ofa magazine carried beneath the fuselage of the aeroplane having a plurality of compartments source of for storing ignitible lances with their attached parachutes, means for igniting said lances as they are released, means for releasing the flaming lances including a plurality of bottoms slidably mounted on said magazine, means for intermittently actuating the slidable bottoms in proper sequence including a series of Winding drums actuated by a ower and located within the fuselage, ea les connecting said slidable bot- ,toms and said winding drums having means for releasing their hold on said bottom when its series of compartments have been emptied.

11. In combination with a device for producing .sign signals in the sky at night of the character described, an electrically ignitible lance having a metallic side wrapping, a pin integral therewith and extending inwardly to a point within said lance, a contact button secured to the bottom thereof having a shank extending inwardly to form a spark gap with the side wrapping pin, whereby said lance is ignited and a parachute for causing the lance to gradually approach the ground when released from an aeroplane.

12. The method of producing sign signals in the sky, comprising the automatically and successively releasing of burning eletermined points-to form words or signs'innments having suspending means at predetelligible to an observer, each burning ele-- nals in the sky at night, comprising the releasing of burning lances suspended by parachutes at points to form words or signs, said lances and parachutes released .on gradually varying planes whereby all of said lances and parachutes reach the ground at the same time. f

14. The method of producing signals in the sky at night, comprising the automatically intermittent releasing from an aeroplane in flight, of burning elements, at predetermined points to form a word or sign intelligible to an observer, said elements being suspended in the air'by means including a parachute, each successive element be- .ing released on theusame plane as its successor at the time of releasing, whereby the word formed is maintained horizontal to the earths surface, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we hereunto set our hands this 29 day of August, 1924.

LAW L. LOVELACE. LAWRENCE D. BONEBRAKE 

